Box Score #1
Box Score #2

Photo Gallery (images by Evan Aczon)

Brisbane, CA – In two hard-fought, three-plus hour games to start the season, Cal State East Bay managed to pull out late-inning victories over Academy of Art University softball on Wednesday night at Mission Blue Field. Game one went into the 8th inning after senior infielder Genna Allen tied it 4-4 with a dramatic sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 7th, but the Pioneers prevailed 6-4 via a two-run rally in the subsequent inning. The second contest saw ART U go up 5-1 midway through before a CSUEB comeback in the 6th led to the 7-5 final following a mishap with the lights. Senior outfielder Ashley Lokey went 3-for-5 with a home run, four runs scored (a new program record), and three steals (ties program record) in the opener while junior catcher Andrea Hanchey powered the Knights with a homer and two runs batted in for game two.

“I think it was a long night but nothing that was too much for us physically,” head coach Rachel Sherman said. “We are in great shape and just need to stay focused and play to our pace for the whole game instead of sitting on a lead or waiting until the heat was on to bring the energy. We are a high-energy team and I just don't feel we showed that tonight, but I know we will learn from it and be better on Saturday.”

Academy of Art was first to score in game one thanks to a single and stolen base by Lokey who came around to score on a double from sophomore infielder Lauren Stover. Two innings later, Lokey did the exact same thing and this time sophomore outfielder Elyse Cordova brought her in on an RBI groundout. Junior starter Kimberly Dauer followed up that inning with a six-pitch 4th and ART U was rolling. East Bay broke through with three runs in the 5th, two of which came off a homer by Jamie Yaller, but the game would return to a tie score when Lokey blasted a home run over the centerfield fence in the Knights' 5th.

An eventful 7th inning saw CSUEB take a 4-3 lead on a solo home run by Devin Salmones, but after Allen came up with the bases loaded and hit a sacrifice fly to left, the game would require extra innings. Yaller delivered another home run in the 8th to create the 6-4 victory margin though freshman infielder Taylor Thurman doubled to start the bottom half, creating potential game-tying situations for the three batters who followed.

“We are more prepared than ever and I think that was a little new to us,” Coach Sherman said. “We got a little comfortable to start the first game, but showed that we have lots of fight and are able to recover.”


The teams exchanged single-run rallies in the second inning of game two with Allen, who had singled and later stole third, coming home on a throwing error by East Bay's catcher. Two separate bursts came from ART U in the 4th and 5th innings to create a 5-1 advantage. Highlighting the rallies were Hanchey's two-run blast to left center in the 4th and Cordova's RBI single in the 5th to bring home junior outfielder Julie Martin.

Freshman Kristin Valdivia was in a groove having allowed only a single run and four hits through the first six innings of the first start in her Academy of Art career. Late in the 6th inning, a mishap caused the lights at Mission Blue Field to suddenly go out during Martin's at-bat. When power was restored, the Knights found themselves heading into the 7th inning with a four-run lead, but the Pioneers then struck. CSUEB scored six runs in that frame to go up 7-5 and put pressure on ART U in the bottom of the 7th. Although walks to Cordova and Hanchey brought the game-winning run to the plate in Allen, East Bay was able to notch the final out and take the win.

“If the lights didn't go out in game two, I believe it would have been a difference outcome,” Coach Sherman said. “We just allowed the darkness to kill our momentum and did not rebound from it.”

In her 2012 return, Lokey wasted little time making a significant impact. She was stellar in the first contest, going 3-for-5 with a home run, four runs scored, three stolen bases, and an RBI.

“It's great to have Lokey back in our lineup,” Coach Sherman said. “Her leadership in the outfield is refreshing and offensively she started off right where she finished a year ago. She and Elyse are going to be a great one-two punch when they are both in a groove.”

Backing up Lokey at the plate, Hanchey made her at-bats count Wednesday particularly in the second game. She walked twice in the opener then blasted the two-run homer in game two.

“Dre is going to do great things this year and she proved that tonight,” Coach Sherman said. “It's just a matter of her staying within herself.”

For the Urban Knights (0-2), a variety of other contributions were made, particularly with six different ART U players getting a hit in game two. However, Thurman stood out with three hits and three walks on the day, making only a single out in her seven at-bats. Dauer took the loss in the opener, but still went 7.2 innings, allowing five earned runs and striking out four. Valdivia nearly completed game two, holding CSUEB to just a single run in her first 6.0 innings. The late rally dealt her a loss though she pitched well and struck out four over 6.2 innings in the first start of her ART U career.

On East Bay's side, Yaller led the way with a 4-for-8 day which included two home runs, six RBIs, and three runs scored. The winning pitcher in game one was Kelly Lowe (1-0) who allowed just one unearned run in her 4.0 relief innings while game two's victor was Kelly Colker (1-0) who pitched 6.0 innings, allowing five runs on six hits with five strikeouts. The Pioneers are 2-0 to start the year.

The Urban Knights will now head out on the road for their next nine games, beginning with Sonoma State this weekend. ART U and SSU face off in an 11:00 AM doubleheader at Seawolf Field in Rohnert Park, CA on Saturday, Feb. 4.